Doing What Needs To Be Done
by fmfan1980
Summary: The time has nearly arrived. Iris is fated to die in under twenty four hours. And with everything having failed to stop Savitar, what other options are Barry and Team Flash left with? Is fate immovable? Is Iris destined to die? This is my own version of how I think the season should end. All reviews welcome. (Edited Chapter Three)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. The plots and stories of The Flash belongs to CW and DC. I'm just playing in the universe that the creators created.

A/N: This story will be two or three chapters in length. It was an idea I had last night about how the season could end. I know some will be wondering about the state of y other story's, they'll be uploaded in a few days.

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 **Central City, 2200 hours.**

Twenty Two hours and thrity seven minutes.

That's how long Iris had to live. That was the time remaining before she dies at the hands of the being known as Savitar. Savitar, the god of Speed, a Barry Allen from a future that the current Barry would never know. He already demanded to know from Savitar what would prompt Barry, any Barry, to kill the love of their life. The current Barry demanded to know from his future self why and how he could kill Iris.

And that's how Barry, the current Barry Allen, found himself lying on the ground, on his back, panting as pain shot through his body while Savitar pressed his foot down on Barry's chest.

"You want to know why?" growled Savitar as he stared at his younger self, "beat me, and then I'll tell you why."

"Tell me!" yelled Barry as his fourteen time remnants lay dead all around him. He created all of them to stop Savitar; he had one more day with Iris and this was the only way he could think of to beat him. But it failed. The speed force trap created by Tracy Brand failed as well since she believed a crucial piece of technology was missing. Then there was the loss of Caitlin Snow to her Killer Frost persona; Barry knew that they were close to creating a cure for her meta-human abilities, but all that matter little if Iris still died.

"You have one more day, Flash," growled Savitar before speeding away with white lighting behind him. Barry coughed as he turned over to his side and tapped his ear piece. He was panting as he told Team Flash that he was unsuccessful once again.

He said that he failed Iris once again.

"C… Come back home, Barry," Iris whispered as her body trembled at the thought that she could die the next day. Joe was holding onto her shoulders while she tried to keep a calm visage, but he knew his daughter. Joe knew she was terrified. Just as he was terrified, and Wally was terrified, and Cisco, and HR.

"Savitar knows everything, and he can change his plans at a whim and…" Cisco shook his head when he recalled how a few days ago the Team wiped out Barry's memories. It was all so that Barry couldn't create any new ones which Savitar could use against them. However, that plan failed since Savitar used the lightning from his speed to electrocute Barry, and thus returning his memories. He then punished Team flash for interfering in his 'game' by driving a spike from his wrist through Wally's spine; for now, Kid Flash was paralysed while his injuries healed.

Wally was in his wheelchair, his powers accelerated healing meant that he would be on his feet in another week… but by then Iris would most likely be dead. He held on to his sister's hand and refused to let go as Barry ran back into the Cortex with tears streaming down from his eyes. He stared at his friends and then at his love before saying that his time remnants were all dead. Wally let go of Iris' hand so that she could rush to Barry who took her in his arms. The both of them hugged each other tight while Barry whispered 'I'm sorry'.

"I.. I'm going back to improve on the trap," Tracy whispered as she watched Iris' shoulders trembling while an eerie silence descended into the Cortex. "I… I'll do what I can. May I can jury-rig something by tomorrow and…"

"Thank you," Joe whispered. Tracy then nodded her head at the man and took one last look at Iris and turned around. Her shoes 'clacked' on the floor as she walked away with HR close behind her to offer some encouragement. Julien then added that he was going to test Caitlin's blood while Cisco stayed still behind the console looking off into the distance. Wally and Joe noticed the look on Cisco's face before asking if there was something he wanted to share with all of them. Cisco then sighed, took in a deep breath, before saying, "Savitar knows everything. He knows what we're going to do, and when we're going to do it. We wiped out Barry's memories and he knew we did that too."

"He said that he was expecting it," Wally said while Iris and Barry reluctantly parted. The couple then turned and stared at Cisco while holding their hands together tight, "he knew because that's what happened to him. We… we can't tell what he did or didn't do in the future. We don't know if what we do is preventing the future or taking one more step towards it."

"He lived it," Barry whispered as his arm lay across Iris' shoulders while Cisco stood up with his hands waving and his mouth hanging open; his facial expression telling everyone that he had an idea.

"Tracy!" yelled Cisco into the microphone, his voice reverberating throughout the building, "I need you back at the Cortex! Now!"

"Cisco?" asked Julien who rushed out of his lab and stared at the excited look on Cisco's face. "What's with…."

"Can't tell you," Cisco said excitedly before turning to Iris, "Iris, do you trust me? And Barry, I'm not going to answer any questions, just promise me that it Savitar shows up then you'd run interference."

"I…"

"Barry!" yelled Cisco in a tone that left no room for argument, "whatever you know, then…."

"Cisco," cried Tracy and she waked back into the Cortex with HR behind her, "what's going on? Why did you have to scream and…"

"No time," said Cisco as he grabbed his vibe-glasses, put them on to the surprise of everyone, and then opened a breach. Barry turned to Cisco who looked back at him before saying the he was sorry. Cisco turned to Tracy and told her to jump into the breach with Iris. "I'm sending you…"

"Cisco," Barry interrupted, "what are you…."

"Barry," Cisco said, "Savitar has your memories. I don't know if I did this in his timeline or… or I don't know much of anything about what I should do or shouldn't do. I'm just going on autopilot right now. And I need you to trust me. I can't tell you where this breach is going to; just that the person on the other side could help protect Iris if Savitar ever finds her. At the same time, Tracy can build her device using that world's technology. I should have thought about this earlier, but… yeah… Barry, Iris, Joe, Wally… please. I need you to trust me."

"What are you talking about?" whispered Tracy as she stared in amazement at the blue hued breach in the Cortex.

While HR was describing the breach and the extent of Cisco's powers, Barry and Iris… s well as Joe and Wally went over to Cisco. Julien stared at the breach, and then at Cisco who kept on saying that he couldn't tell where he was sending Iris and Tracy.

"It's for their safety," said Cisco.

"What if Savitar find them, and…" Joe said.

"Because if he did, then he would already be here," said Cisco.

"But I thought he knows what I know?" asked Barry.

"Maybe everything that happened until now was supposed to happen," exclaimed Cisco waving his hands. Even he didn't know if what he was saying was correct, "maybe this hasn't happened in his timeline. Maybe the theory that he has the same memories as you, Barry, is wrong. There are a lot of maybe's… but the one thing we can be sure of is that if Savitar knew I was opening a breach, then he would be here right now. And since he's not here, then we have a chance to change things. At best, we bought more time for Tracy to build the Speed Force trap."

"I…." Joe was about to say something when he was interrupted by a whisper.

"Joe," Barry whispered as he interrupted Iris' father. The Speedster could feel the air of panic in the room, an air of panic hanging over them for the past few days as everything pulled together to do anything to save Iris by putting together the trap But that ended in abject failure. He wondered if Cisco was sending them to Earth Two, Earth Three, or Earth Thirty Eight. But either way, Barry wondered if Savitar knew… he wondered if this happened in Savitar's own timeline. Barry stared at Joe, and then looked away thinking about what Cisco said, that if Savitar knew a breach was being opened then he would interfere.

'And he didn't interfere, which means this didn't happen to him,' Barry thought as he looked back at Iris and said, "Cisco's right. Tracy will go with you to work on the trap… to perfect it. I.."

"I am not leaving you," Iris said shaking her head.

"This may be the only way you get a fighting chance," Barry countered.

"Iris, you…," Joe stopped talking as he place a hand on Barry's shoulder, "you have to do this. It.. it could buy the time we need."

Barry and Iris stared into each other's eyes, tears streaming down their faces, before they hugged each other tight. It would be seconds later, that the both of them pulled apart. Iris hugged Joe and Wally tight before what seemed like hours passed by and Iris pulled back from Wally.

Everything seemed surreal for Barry as he said goodbye one more time. And then she was gone. His arms hanging limply by his side as he watched the breach close, and a part of him felt lost. He then turned to Cisco, Julien, HR, and Joe before looking at the spot where the breach was opened earlier. It was then another part of him said that he bought some time; that Cisco could have been right in saying that Savitar didn't experience this in his timeline, "we need to find another way to trap him," Barry whispered before turning to Cisco, "you bought us time, Cisco. Now I need another alternative to trap him inside the Speed Force."

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

**National City, 2300 hours.**

They were surprised at the sudden appearance of the blue hued vortex in the middle of the DEO after the man that had kidnapped Alex Danvers, Rick Malverne, was taken away. Malverne, once Kara and Alex's classmate in Midvale high, kidnapped Alex to force her sister, Kara 'Supergirl' Danvers, to free his father from jail. Just as any story with good against evil, Malverne lost. And now, not only was his father back in jail, Malverne himself was being taken away so that his mind would be getting his mind wiped by Jon to protect Kara's secret identity. After he was taken away, Alex and her girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer, hugged each other tightly while Kara and the others looked on.

It was during the hug after the man had been taken away, that everyone in the central complex heard a rumbling sound. Kara turned around and stepped back, as did everyone else when a portal opened over the central table. The DEO personnel took out their weapons and aimed at the breach opening. At the same time, Kara, Mon-El, Jon, Maggie, and Alex prepared themselves for anything that could come through the portal.

"What the hell is that thing?" shrieked Maggie as she was handed a weapon by Alex, a weapon that had been taken from one of the other personnel in the chamber.

"A breach to another world," Alex said as she aimed her weapon, borrowed from another DEO agent, at the breach and waited for whoever it was to come through. While Maggie stared at Alex in surprise for an explanation of what she meant by ' a breach to another world', Mon-El was staring worriedly at the breach hoping that it wasn't the Music Meister once again.

And as if Kara read Mon-El's mind, she whispered, "Don't tell me it's that whole Music Meister thing again," as she stood in her civilian clothes. She then zoomed away and returned in her Supergirl uniform, her cape fluttering slightly after she came to a stop, and waited with bated breath for anything. She was aware it could be the Music Meister, Barry, Cisco, or… or anyone else from any other Earth could come through.

However, ever since the first time Kara and the DEO encountered Barry, ever since Kara discovered the existence of other realities in the Multiverse, the DEO was preparing itself for an invasion.

And with the DEO itself being under the threat of invasion from another Earth from within its very headquarters in the heart of National City, Jon ordered the activation of the 'Cross-Over protocols'. One of the agents was about to call in for reinforcements just as Iris and another woman Kara, Jon, Mon-El, and Winn hadn't met before stepped through and landed on the top of the table.

And then, just as it appeared, the breach was gone while a surprised Iris looked at Kara and the other woman looked around at her surroundings in stunned silence.

"Iris?" said a surprised Kara as the second blonde, Tracy, turned and looked back at Kara with a tilted head.

"Oh wow, this was what Cisco was talking about?" asked Tracy as she looked at Iris, who in turn was staring back at Kara. Tracy could see the knowing look of relief on Iris' face and suspected that they were among friends, 'of course we're among friends, where else would Cisco have sent us. He told me about his powers, but still… wow… I'm on another Earth!'

'Cisco sent us to Kara's Earth,' Iris thought as she closed her eyes and fought back the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks. She was silently relaying a thought to Barry, which she knew that he would never receive, and signalled to him that she was sent to be with one powerful enough to hold back Savitar. 'And thank Cisco, Barry. I know you can't get this, but thank Cisco for me.'

"Kara," Iris said again as Win helped the still stunned Tracy to the floor before she took a few steps away from Winn and then spun around in silence while pointing at the various monitors spewing off data. As for Iris, she was helped down by Kara before they hugged each other. Iris then whispered in her ear, "I'm so glad Cisco sent us to you."

"Another Earth, an alternate reality, this is an alternate Earth," said an excited Tracy as she poked Winn in the shoulder, and then stared at Iris and Kara in her uniform, and then at the other DEO personnel, and then back to Iris before whispering, "wow."

"While we are glad to see you," said Jon as he stepped forward towards Iris. He saw the look of relief on Iris's face but purposely didn't read her mind, or the mind of the other blonde woman who arrived with her. Instead, he asked her, "why are you here?"

"Oh," Iris shook her head while Tracy walked towards her and Kara, "this is Tracy Brand; she.. she's important. And as for why we're here?" Iris looked at Jon and then at Kara. She then looked at the other agents, and back to Kara once again, before asking if they could go somewhere private to talk.

"This way," said Jon signalling everyone to follow him before ordering the agents to get back to work, and to deactivate the protocols. It was while they were walking off that Kara introduced Iris to Alex and Maggie and then Winn, just as another breach opened above the table.

"Oh God," Iris whispered while Tracy held on to her as they stepped back. Kara and Alex noticed the fear on their faces, and then looked at each other wordlessly asking what could Iris have to fear. "He's not supposed to find us," Iris whispered, and then Kara looked back at her just as a metal case flew through the portal… which then closed once again as the case fell with a 'clang' on the floor.

"It's my research," exclaimed Tracy as she ran to the case and opened it to reveal papers filled with calculations, drawings, and the damaged disk-like prototype she created. Upon closing the case and then grabbing it by the handle, Tracy remembered that in her hurry to get back to the Cortex after Cisco's call through the P.A system back at STAR Labs, she forgot to bring it with her.

She breathed a sigh of relief looking back at Iris who herself was relieved that it wasn't Savitar that came through. And it was that knowledge that eased her mind somewhat; that Savitar didn't know where she was... that heading over to Kara's Earth didn't happen in Savitar's timeline. Tracy carried the case in her hand and rushed to Iris' side while Jon, Kara, Maggie, and Alex watched them questioningly.

"We.. we need to talk," Iris said turning around and noticing the quizzical looks she was getting, "something's happened and… and it's something we haven't told you when Jon, Kara, and Mon-El came to our Earth."

"So… other Earths," Maggie whispered at Alex as they continued their walk down a hallway while Winn offered to help Tracy with the case. Tracy then thanked him before handing the case over for him to carry while Alex and Maggie were in the rear as Kara was talking to Iris. "You learn a lot of new things, huh?"

"Yep," Alex replied while wondering why Iris and Tracy were so fearful.

"So… you've been to this other Earth?" whispered Maggie.

"I was left in charge of the DEO while Jon and Mon-El travelled to Earth-One," Kara replied while Kara was asking about Barry and why he didn't come along with them. Iris glanced over at Kara and wondered how she would take the news that a future version of her friend and superhero was trying to murder the love of his life. Iris wordlessly looked away before whispering that it was Barry they had come to her Earth to talk about. It was that answer that received questioning stares from Mon-El, Jon, and Kara while Winn was asking Tracy about the contents of the case. Tracy insisted that everything would be revealed once they had explained why they had to arrive on their Earth.

In the meantime, Alex finished explaining about the Flash, Earth One, Kara being trapped in a song and dance nightmare, and the fact that she hadn't met the Flash yet. After hearing everything, all Maggie could do as she tried to get her whole mind around the fact that there was a multiverse of alternate Earths was shake her head. She then placed a hand on Alex's shoulder.

"Should I go?" asked Maggie towards her girlfriend. "I mean, I can wait for you in the main chamber and…"

"I want you here," Alex replied softly as she placed her arm on Maggie's shoulder. They smiled at each other while walking through another hallway, and then another hallway to the right. The group then walked towards a door that Jon opened, and then walked into the large room where there was a circular table with chairs and a projection system hanging from the ceiling pointed at a wall.

"Iris?" questioned Kara as she took a seat next to Iris while the door slid shut; the entire room now soundproof with technology that prevented any recordings from being taken inside the room, "what's going on? Why were you so scared just now when the second breach opened? I mean both you and Tracy were terrified. And where's Barry, why isn't he here with you?"

Iris and Tracy looked at each other before turned back to Kara and the others. Iris then took a deep breath before she started to tell them about Savitar and how Barry while trying to throw the Philosopher's Stone into the Speed Force was flung to the future.

"I know he went to the past and changed some things. I know about Flashpoint and the rest of the timeline," Kara said while Jon looked at her in surprise. It was something that was new to him, but he held his tongue before turning back to Winn who was just as surprised as him. Jon recalled his people outlawing the research of any technology that dealt with time travel, and here he was having just heard about someone who travelled in time and changed the past.

'The changes to the timeline must have been catastrophic, and…' thought Jon to himself before standing stunned once again when Iris revealed that Barry travelled to the future twice.

"Twice?" asked Kara.

"Barry didn't want to tell you, Kara, because he didn't want to pull you away from your world," Iris explained, "you see; he's fighting against another speedster called Savitar."

"The Hindu god of motion," Winn said as Iris nodded her head.

"Yea," Iris whispered while the others stayed silent and listened, "he's fast. Faster than Barry, faster than anyone we've ever fought. And when Barry travelled to the future, he saw Savitar kill me."

"Excuse me?" asked a stunned Mon-El as he raised his hand as if to ask a question, "Barry saw this Savitar god thing kill you? Then it should be easy to prevent it, right? That's why you're here?"

"It's more complicated than that," Tracy said shaking her head while Maggie and Alex stared at each other. They were now talking about the future, specifically changing the future. Alex then asked Iris if they knew any of Savitar's weaknesses. Tracy then explained how her device was supposed to work; that it would use Savitar's own power against him by creating a permanent stasis field that would imprison him for all time in the Speed Force, "but the power source I used wasn't strong enough. Barry stuck the device to Savitar's armour, but it completely fizzled out before the field could be formed."

"I guess that's why Cisco sent us here," Iris said, "Barry said you work with alien technology, so maybe..."

"Wait, alien?" squeaked a surprised Tracy as Kara and Mon-Ell looked at each other and then at Jon who shook his head, "what do you mean alien? You mean like from outer space?"

"Yes," Jon said before asking Iris to continue. It was then that Winn jumped in to say that he could use the dimensional jumper that Cisco created to send Kara to Earth One to help with Savitar.

"I mean this is Supergirl, and…"

"You can't send her," Iris said with a forlorn look on her face, "none of you can help Barry right now. None of you can head to Central City on Earth One."

"Iris," Kara said, "Jon, Mon-El, and I should be good enough, with Barry, to stop Savitar. And with Cisco and Caitlin…"

"Caitlin's Killer Frost," said Iris much to Kara, Jon, and Mon-El's surprise. "she's helping Savitar, and…"

"Why?" Kara asked shaking her head in disbelief.

"We'll find out once we get to Earth One, and…."

"You can't," Iris whispered, interrupting Jon, as she got off her seat and leaned on the table. Her eyes then started to tear up before admitting the truth to not just the DEO, but herself, "if you go, the Savitar will know where we are. And we need to finish the device before…"

"We can help, Iris," Alex gently said while Iris closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face as Tracy looked nervously down at the table.

"Iris," asked Jon who could see that Iris was struggling to continue, "what are you not telling us?"

"Savitar is a future version of Barry," Iris's voice cracked. She finally admitted it out loud, and it broke her heart. Once she mentioned Barry's name, Kara's eyes widened as she stepped back in shock. The shock was shared among everyone in the room as they stared at each other and then at Iris, "Savitar is a future version of Barry." Iris then covered her mouth as Kara rushed around the table and hugged her tight while the former started to sob in Kara's arms.

And that left Tracy to finish what Iris was going to say, "if any of you go to our Earth, then Barry will know where we are. And if Barry knows…"

"Then so does Savitar," Jon nodded his head in disbelief as he looked away before whispering, "when? When is Iris supposed to…"

"We have just under twenty-one hours and thirty minutes," Tracy said.

"Then I say we have work to do," Alex said nodding her head watching Kara look back at her while holding onto Iris.

"Mr. Schott," said Jon as Winn looked up from the calculations that Tracy had been showing him, "I want you to work with Miss Brand. Find a way to power the device."

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Suicide Warning.

 **STAR Labs, Central City, Earth One.**

After the metal case containing Tracy's research was sent through the breach away from Earth One, Cisco once again vibed the future. However, based on the forlorn look on Cisco's face, the group of Julien, Barry, Joe, HR, and a wheelchaired Wally became concerned at what he saw. With a heavy heart, Cisco told Barry and the others that Iris would still die at Infantino Street, at the top of the stairs, and that Vibe would still battle Killer Frost in a forested area.

Seeing his last shot at keeping Iris slipping away from his grasp, Barry told Cisco to send him to the Speed Force. Barry stared at the confused faces of Cisco and the others before saying that he wanted to make a deal with the Speed Force.

Barry announced that he was going to ask the Speed Force itself to intervene by cutting Savitar from his powers. And in return, Barry would accept any punishment the Speed Force would mete out for that one favour. Joe and Wally immediately disagreed while Cisco looked at the floor in disbelieve over what Barry had just suggested. Cisco thought about the fact that Savitar still hadn't found out about Iris being sent to Kara's Earth, and that Savitar hadn't brought her back to Barry, Joe, and Wally so that he could gloat that he knew the future.

Cisco guessed that if Savitar could, he would have brought Iris back from National City, just to show how futile it was for Team Flash to send Iris away from her 'destiny'.

'The future could only happen if Iris was brought back here.' Cisco then looked up from the floor and shook his head before asking Barry if he would bring Iris back if the Speed Force agreed to cut off Savitar.

"Yes," Barry said.

"Then she'll die, Barry," Cisco said in a soft voice while looking away, "we saw the future's unchanged. Wherever I sent her, she's in a safe place and…."

"I can't stand around here, Cisco," Barry interrupted.

"You talk to the Speed Force," said Cisco, "but we can't bring her back, at least not now."

"What if Cisco's right? What if the Speed Force says that they can't help?" asked Wally as he looked at everyone. It was a question that Cisco was about to ask. He guessed from his vibe that, since Barry was there facing Savitar, then the Speed Force refused his plea. Barry and Joe were staring at Wally with anguish on their faces while Cisco trudged over to the console in the Cortex and then sat down. In the meantime, Julien leaned against the wall before saying that the only way to prevent that future was for Iris to stay wherever Cisco had sent her.

"Tracy too?" asked H.R as he thought about the possibility of any romantic pairing with the former graduate student.

"Possibly," Julien said as he looked at Cisco, who was looking back at him. Julien could see regret in Cisco's eyes before he spoke up, "and Cisco may have saved her life too. If we bring just Tracy back to this Earth, then there is the possibility that she could reveal where Iris was sent. And then Barry would know Iris' location, and because of that, Savitar would know. I say Allen needs to talk to the Speed Force and make a deal to cut off Savitar's speed. And depending on their answer, we take the next step."

"Agreed," H.R said turning to look at Barry. Joe placed a hand on the speedster's shoulder and nodded his head. Barry could see stars were already welling up in Joe's eyes before he left with Cisco.

And Barry did ask the Speed Force.

When Barry returned, he stumbled towards the railings in the breach room and panted. Barry tried to keep the lump forming in his throat down as Joe rushed to his side and lay a hand on his back. Barry, his lower lip trembling could only turn his head and stare at Joe with a sense of loss radiating from his very being. Barry looked away and spoke about what happened in the Speed Force with a cracked voice.

Barry told the remaining Team Flash that he tried to make a deal with the Speed Force. But the Speed Force was not going to interfere. Barry then relayed what the Speed Force told him; that everything that happened was his fault for messing about with the timeline. And only he himself could fix it… only he himself could get rid of Savitar, "they said that I'll have to sacrifice everything. They said I'm not ready yet. But I will be. At the last moment, just when it's too late to save Iris, I'll know what I have to do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Wally while Cisco stood next to Barry as support.

"I don't know," Barry admitted, "but I asked Cisco to vibe the future again."

"And?" asked Joe with a quivering voice. He hoped that the future would somehow change, that he would not lose his little girl.

"Iris still dies," Barry said.

"So… so what do we do?" asked Wally.

Barry knew that what Cisco said earlier was correct. That if he brought Iris back to Earth-One, then she would definitely die. If Tracy was brought back to Earth-One, then she could very well reveal Iris' location out of sheer excitement at having travelled through worlds. She could say something or mention someone that Barry would recognise, and if Barry knew. So, would Savitar. Barry suspected that between now and the time of Iris' destined death, something could happen to force Iris back to Earth-One… or he would do something incredibly fooling like bringing her back to Earth-One himself.

Either way, Iris would die.

So Barry put his faith in Tracy, "we... we hope. I'm not bringing Iris back until he's imprisoned in the Speed Force with Tracy's device."

 **National City, Earth Thirty Eight.**

Iris couldn't sleep.

She had seen Tracy and Winn working with several groups to build a new device from scratch. She knew that they hadn't slept yet given the urgency of the situation; a whole department working on a solution to save one life from a being who was faster than the Fastest Man Alive.

Iris tried to convince Tracy and Winn to get some sleep, but caffeine was running riot through their bodies. Coffee fuelled them throughout the night and morning, and Iris suspected, through the rest of the day until they had something by half past Eight at night. That was near the time of her death.

That was the time when Savitar was due to stab her through her back and then through her heart. There was no rhyme or reason as to why she had to die. In fact, Iris didn't want to know why she had to die.

It simply hurt too much.

As she stood on the balcony on the highest floor of the DEO building after a restless four hours of simply lying down on a cot in one of the quarters in the DEO, she looked out at the first rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds and reflecting against the glass covered buildings. The National City skyline shone as Iris closed her eyes and tried to come to terms with her possible fate. With the adrenaline having run out in her system, Iris started to feel exhausted. She needed to sleep, even though she couldn't. And it's not as if she didn't try.

How could anyone sleep when their death is supposedly destined to occur in a few hours? How could anyone hold on to their sanity hoping that they had done everything preventable to change the future; without knowing if they really did change the future? That was what went through Iris' mind. Jon had approached her last night, and they did talk while Tracy and Winn were working together, and Supergirl was out saving the city.

They just sat down and talked. Iris tried to keep her coming death out of her mind as she spoke about her life. She told Jon about her father, Wally, and Barry. She laughed about how she never knew how much she loved Barry until he sacrificed himself to get his powers back so that he could fight Zoom. Iris laughed as Jon sat next to her, and simply smiled, as she talked about meeting Wally for the first time… and her fear that Wally would be injured when he first exhibited his powers.

But her own death was in the back of her mind, and it kept coming to the fore even though she tried pushing it away.

"You'll be protected, Iris," Jon gently said as he lay a hand over hers. "We'll protect you. Supergirl's one of the strongest beings in this world. And no so-called speed god is going past her."

Iris turned her head and looked at the man. And hoped he was right.

Back in the present day, all Iris could do was wait. That's the only thing in her mind; the waiting. Nothing anyone did for the rest of that day would bring her out of the large section of her very being that waited for her death. Not even's Kara's cheerful demeanour could bring her out of her thoughts, which including wondering if there would be any pain as she felt the blade entering her heart.

Sure Iris would smile thanks to Kara taking the day off from work to keep her company; with a day that, thankfully, had no large issues that needed Supergirl's attention. However, Iris' smile would never reach her eyes. It was a smile meant to placate those around her, to make them believe she was doing alright.

Iris spent time with Kara; the both of them catching up on events following the Music Meister incident while at lunch later that day. And then later at Kara's apartment where the both of them had a get together with Mon-El, Alex, and Maggie. The entire time, while Kara tried to cheer-up Iris, Tracy and Winn, along with several other engineers had pulled together and nearly completed a device to trap Savitar.

But it is the best-laid plans that crash down hard the hardest. And Cisco's plan was about to crash spectacularly.

With the clock showing nearly Eight thirty at night, Tracy and her team had a small bit of the device to complete. In the meantime, Iris, Kara, Mon-El, Maggie, and Alex were having dinner at Kara's apartment with Iris glancing at the clock on the wall every few seconds.

The time was now eight twenty-five, and Iris' heart raced. She put down her fork while staring at the clock. She could take in another bite of the pasta Kara cooked as the seconds ticked away. Kara stared at Iris as she heard her racing heartbeat. Kara then turned to the clock, and then back to Iris who leaned back in her seat and stared at the food on the table in front of her. Iris then glanced at the clock again.

One minute had passed by. But it felt like an eternity.

"Iris," Kara said gently while everyone around the table looked at the woman from Earth One, "Savitar is not going to harm you."

"We'll protect you," Alex reassured Iris while glancing at Kara who was nodding her head.

 **Central City, Earth One.**

"It's time," Savitar growled as he stood still in a gloomy and dark warehouse. It was a minute ago that he dispatched Killer Frost to attack a bank so that she could lure out Barry and Cisco. His plan was for the future events to unfold as they were supposed to happen. He saw Killer Frost form an ice slide before she took off into the air before he ran back into the warehouse, his base of operations.

He didn't tell Killer Frost that Flash and Cisco would both try to stop her, and knew that Frost finding out her former friends were working against her would further push Caitlin's mind deep into Killer Frost's psyche. The combined attack from both Flash and Vibe would spill the fight into the streets outside where Barry would push people out of the way while Cisco and Frost attacked each other.

Savitar knew that Barry and Cisco would want to bring the fight away from innocents. He knew that Barry would create a distraction that would pull Killer Frost to a forest at the edge of the city with Cisco meeting Barry there. Savitar knew the folding exactly as it should.

'And then Iris would die, and Cisco would lose his hands,' Savitar smirked underneath the armour.

"I'm coming for you, Iris," Savitar growled as he ran into a breach.

 **National City, Earth Thirty-Eight.**

Jon was in the main control hub of the DEO as he watched screens that were monitoring any and all potential alien threats to Earth. Specifically, he was still searching for the Daxamite queen, Rhea, and her spaceship. He felt that their last encounter had ended too easily… and he felt a growing unease that the Deo and Supergirl hadn't seen the last of Rhea. His thoughts then turned to Iris' safety, and he was about to ask for a status report on the Speed Trap's development when there was a loud 'swish' sound behind him.

Jon turned around as several of the agents manning the consoles got up and proceeded to place their hands on their weapons. Before anyone could aim a weapon at the breach, there was a bolt of white lightning, that shot out of the breach and went down one hallway. Jon's eyes widened when the breach closed, with the bolt reappearing once again a few seconds later.

"No," Jon whispered as the bolt stopped and revealed a piece of hulking grey armour with blue accents all around the body. In one hand was the device that Tracy and Winn had been working on which was crushed in the palm of an armour clawed hand. Savitar opened the hand, and then pieces clattered to the floor as the DEO agents cocked their weapons.

"Wait," Jon ordered as he raised his hand. He stared at the bleeding and unmoving form of Tracy Brand who had a spear impaled from her back through her heart. Jon searched for signs that the woman was breathing while reading her mind for any brain activity. But there was nothing… Tracy Brand was dead. Jon then looked up onto the eyelets that shone blue on the helmet that formed Savitar's armour. However, he simply couldn't read the mind of the man under the armour.

"Savitar," Jon said as he transformed to his Martian self while the former speedster retracted the spear into his armour, thus dumping Tracy's dead body onto the floor. It was then that Winn, who last saw white lightning swirling around the room where he, Tracy, and several others were working before being flung onto the walls and slamming back down onto the floor. His body in pain from the impact against the wall, got up as quickly as possible and contacted the main Hub, and told Jon in a pained voice, "we have a problem. I think Barry's here."

"Barry's gone," Savitar growled as he stared at Jon who quickly ordered someone to call Supergirl, and relay an order to her that she needed to hide Iris immediately, "I am Savitar."

"Why do you wasn't Iris dead?" Jon as he went back to trying to read Savitar's mind. In the meantime, one of the agents was already on the way to calling Kara and Alex.

Savitar tilted his head as he felt fingers reaching into his brain, and smiled underneath the suit. "My mind works faster than ever before, Martian. I am immune to mind readers. I will tell you this though. After Iris dies? Supergirl will bow down to me. If she interferes? Then Supergirl will die. Remember that. But for now? Farewell."

Jon saw Savitar take off running out up the stairs and then out the building by running down the side. With Supergirl having been contacted, the phone was handed over to Jon. He spoke to Alex while Kara changed into her suit, at the same time Mon-El was about to rush out the window with Iris who was feeling numb. She didn't feel Mon-El's hands on her arms while pulling her back to the balcony. At the same time, Kara's voice… as did the voices of Alex and Maggie while they were taking out their weapons, seemed so far away. Iris could hear her heart racing over the sound of the voices around her.

Iris was now two minutes away from her death. And she didn't feel anything.

"Mon-El," yelled Kara pointing at her boyfriend and then signalling him to take Iris away while Alex and Maggie pointed their guns at the door, "get out of here and…."

"Hello, Kara," Savitar said, interrupting Kara after he phased through the front door and stood in front of her. In the meantime, just after phasing through the door, Savitar violently shoved aside Alex and Maggie, both of whom were flung against the walls before falling on the floor unconscious. Mon-El and Iris, who forced herself out of her own mind as she watched the two women fall onto the ground, rushed to Alex while Mon-El rushed to Maggie and tried to wake them up. Savitar glanced at Iris who was looking up at him while trying to wake up Alex and sneered under the armour.

"Barry," Iris said as tears streaked down her cheeks while Kara was yelling at Mon-El to get Iris out of the house.

"Maggie and Alex are alive, I can hear their heartbeats… now go!"

"Please Barry," yelled Iris as Mon-El grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up. He used his strength to carry her and then move as super speed towards the balcony. "Don't do this, Barry! Please… don't!" Savitar took a step forward. He was about to run at Iris and Mon-Ell who took off out the window. But Kara moved to stand in front of him.

Savitar looked at the 'S' and remembered his own past, really, he was remembering Barry's past. He remembered saving Kara after she crashed through a window. He remembered battling against 'sparky' and 'shrieky', and he remembered their battle against the Dominators. Savitar remembered singing with her in an alternate reality. Savitar remembered their team-ups that hadn't happened yet.  
And then there was the war.

He remembered Iris' death at the hands of the aliens, the Dominators, who attacked with a coalition of other races to put down the metahumans for good. Savitar remembered Kara's hand on his shoulder as bodies of Dominators, Daxamites, and several other races that they had never heard off lay around them. Their necks were broken at Barry's hands which were cradling Iris' dad body.

"You were there," Savitar said as he looked at Kara whose hands were hanging by her sides, "you were there when she died the first time."

"Barry…."

"I travelled back in time," Savitar whispered as he looked away from Kara, "I tried to save her, but she died every single time. I travelled back, again and again, hoping for a different outcome… but she still died every time. The Dominators, Daxamites, the Frioe, and…. And the Rogues. They were all a danger, and so I killed them."

"Barry" Kara said as Savitar's head shifted back to her, "if we've ever been friends, I need you to stop. This…"

"I broke after she died, Kara," Savitar said, "I broke every time I watched her die. Every time I went back in time, every time I jumped into another reality where I try to save her… she dies. All I felt was pain. I killed everyone who could harm Iris since I could not save her directly. But she still died."

"People die, Barry."

"I am Savitar!"

"You're my friend, Barry Allen," Kara said as she placed her hand on her chest, "you…."

"You tried to stop me," Savitar said, "an alternate Cisco escaped and tried to warn other worlds that I was coming. I killed the evil in those worlds but the heroes would always come up against me. You, your cousin, the Bat, the Amazon, the robot, the Lanterns, the Flash, all of you would go against me. And Iris would still die. And I would kill all of you."

"Barry…" Kara shook her head as she realised what Savitar was saying, "how… how many did… did…"

"I kill?" asked Savitar in a mocking tone, "hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands? I lost count. I needed to take my pain away. And I found a way, Kara. My pain of losing my Iris is gone. To take the pain away, all I did was kill her by my own hands. And I've never felt as good."

"By Rao's light," Kara said as she stepped back in surprise and disbelief, "no… the Barry I know…"

"I am not the Barry you know!" yelled Savitar leaning forward.

"You said you killed Flashes," Kara said, "so how are…"

"Those Flashes aren't me," Savitar said, "I am native to my reality. I can kill those Barry Allen's in another reality without affecting me."

"Barry.. you…" Kara tried to speak through her disbelief, but she was interrupted.

"When I came back to Earth-One after I sensed a variation…, it was different," Savitar said, "the Barry Allen was different. He made me sick seeing him so happy. I took special glee in killing Iris. I felt no pain when I stabbed her.. she was the hundredth Iris to die? I lost track. I felt like a god…. I am pure speed, Kara. I travelled to the beginning of time with a stone made of crystallised speed force energy. And I spread my myth… my own legend. Of Savitar, the god of Speed. And then.. then the Barry of Earth One called me out years later and trapped me in the Speed Force. When I was released from the prison, I knew that Iris would be here because, when I fought Barry the first time? He sent her here."

"Then why didn't you interfere when Cisco created the breach?" asked Kara.

"I wanted to give them hope," Savitar crowed, "hope that Barry could save Iris. Hope that Iris would believe she could be saved. Hope. I wanted to give Joe hope. Wally hope. HR, Julien. I wanted to give them all hope that things would turn out for the better."

"Oh, Barry," Kara whispered shaking her head.

"And then," Savitar looked at the clock and saw that he was two minutes overdue. He looked back at Kara and sneered, "then I wanted to crush that hope. Destroy each and every one of them. Then, when they're dead? I'm coming for you, Supergirl. So I am warning you now, Kara. Step away, and live, and love with your boyfriend. Let your pain grow, for when I take it away with your life, it's that much sweeter."

"Barry," Kara said as Savitar looked back at her, "this isn't you. Stop this, please."

"Barry's gone, Kara," Savitar growled as he stood in the middle of her living room facing the girl of steel. "only I remain. I am Savitar."

"And you are Barry," said Kara as she spoke gently. "You told me how much you love Iris, Barry. I can't imagine you ever killing her, or…"

Two and a half minutes' overdue.

"Goodbye, Supergirl," Savitar said as he ran towards the balcony. From Kara's perspective, she saw Savitar running towards the balcony. And Kara interfered. Or at least attempted to interfere.

'He's going to go after Iris'. She saw, in slow motion, as Savitar moved towards her. Kara had to stop him before he could reach Iris. "I have to stop you, Barry." Kara moved at super speed as well. She was nearly within reach of Savitar when he sped past her at a higher rate of speed than she thought possible. Kara turned back around and saw the armour in a kneeling position. The blue accents were turned off and the rear of the armour was open. Kara looked around and tried to hear for any heartbeats other than her own, Alex, and Maggie However, she couldn't hear anyone else.

"Barry?" asked Kara as she walked to the rear of the armour. She saw the hollow interior, and then looked around as her heart raced. Suddenly, she heard a swish sound behind her. But no heartbeat. Kara turned around. To her, everything was still going in slow motion as she saw Barry. A badly burned and enraged Barry, with yellow electric energy coursing through his body, take a step forward while pulling an arm back. Kara saw the glint of a blade as it was pushed forward. Kara knew she was invulnerable… and so she didn't do anything. She expected the blade to crack.

However, it didn't.

Kara released a gasp when she heard a 'shruck' sound. She had her eyes wide open as she stared into Barry's eyes. She saw anger and hatred in those eyes. She then heard another 'shruck' sound as pain tore through her body while feeling warm liquid flowing down her abdomen. She looked down while her arms, feeling as if they were lead weights, grabbed Savitar's arms. She looked down and saw blood pouring down her body and dripping down to the floor. The red liquid streaked down her costume and skirt as she looked back up and stared in disbelief into Savitar's eyes.

Her body started to feel numb as she stared into Savitar's eyes which looked straight into her own. She felt one of his hands grab the back of her head while her arms fell away from his shoulders and lay limply by her side. And then there was another 'shruck', Savitar stared into her eyes while he stabbed her side, and then pulled out the blade. Blood poured out of the fresh wound before Savitar pushed the severely weakened Kara.

She crashed onto the floor and lay on her back, her blonde hair strew across the floor.

"Ba... Barry…" Kara said as she tried to move her weakened arms after she fell onto the floor. She raised then, and then they fell onto her abdomen.

Four minutes overdue.

Savitar looked at the clock, and then back at Kara, and then at the gold coloured knife in his hand before he placed it into a sheath in the small of his back. "You should thank Lena Luther of Earth Six One Six for this Gold Kryptonite knife. I had to pry it out of her cold, dead, hands when she thought I was one of you. Her mistake."

"Ba… Ba…." Kara struggled to speak as she felt her body going cold while hearing Alex groan. Kara couldn't turn her head, she was staring directly into Savitar's eyes as tears streamed out of her own.

"Goodbye, Kara Zor-El," Savitar said.

Five Minutes overdue.

"We would have created the League in the future, Kara," Savitar said as Alex slowly opened her eyes to see Savitar crouching over her sister who was bleeding profusely on the carpet, "you told me about Krypton's religion once, in the future. May Rao take you into his arms."

"Kara?" groaned Alex as she tried to get up, "Kara?"

Savitar then zoomed into his armour and ran out the window to the DEO. In the meantime, Alex scrambled on all four to her sister whose lips were getting blue, as was her skin. "Kara!" Kara!" She then grabbed her phone, noticing the golden knife in the corner, and dialled a number. "Jon! Jon! Oh God help!" All she got were screams on the other end of the line followed by a groan from Jon. Alex heard the sounds of lightning followed by gun fire and the sounds of bones breaking. She looked back at Kara before she closed the line and then dialled another number. "Clark! Please help. For the love of God please help. I'm in Kara's apartment, please help!"

Kara gave a small smile as she looked up at her sister. And then she began to close her eyes slowly while Alex put away the phone and screamed her name. In the meantime, the DEO was a disaster area as Savitar jumped through a breach after having killed and injuring seventy percent of the personnel in the tower.

"Kara!" yelled Alex as she cradled her sister's body back in the latter's apartment as she closed her eyes, "Kara!"

 **Central City, Earth One, six minutes past Iris' 'destined' death.**

Killer Frost lay on the frozen ground in a clearing as Barry and Cisco, with his shades up on his forehead, stared down at their friend. The both of them teamed up against Killer Frost, both seeking to get through to Caitlin who they hoped was still inside Killer Frost's psyche. And now all they had to do was bring her out to the fore. Barry and Cisco then stared at each other before giving the other a high five. Barry then pressed the earpiece on his mask and connected himself to the Cortex where Julien was celebrating that Killer Frost was defeated.

"Oh and hey," HR said while Joe stood next to him, "the time has come and gone, guys. I think we changed history."

Barry and Cisco looked at each other with a smile on their faces. History indeed had changed. To Barry, Iris was alive somewhere and she had Tracy with her to help with the creation of the device. All he had to do now was be patient.

"You want a ride back to the Cortex, my friend?" asked Cisco as he opened a breach.

"Nah, I…." Buffy wanted to tell Cisco that he wanted to go for a run and that he would be back to the Cortex very soon. But before he could continue, another breach opened up. Barry and Cisco stared at the breach, and then at each other, and then back at the breach upon hearing an electrical sound.

"Guys!" yelled Barry into his headset as the two breaches closed while Killer Frost was still on the ground, her hands cuffed with the power dampeners. "It… it's Savitar. And… and…."

"Tell them," Savitar growled as he held a squirming Iris up by the back of her neck.

"And he has Iris," Barry yelled as Team Flash looked at each other with worry. They thought that the future had been changed. HR had his hands on his head as he walked back towards the wall in disbelief. Julien, Joe, and Wally were listening to Iris calling for Barry, for Joe, and for Wally; telling them that she loved them. And then Savitar interrupted by saying something that nearly made HR collapse. And it made Barry stumble back with Cisco having to hold him steady.

"Tracy Brand is dead," Savitar gloated as he tightened his hold on Iris who screamed out loud, "and soon, Supergirl will die too."

"Oh my God," Joe said as he stumbled back in shock. He was about to lose his daughter, and the person who had been protecting her was about to die as well. It was something thought impossible since Kara was supposed to be invincible. In addition, the only hope they had of stopping Savitar, Tracy, died as well.

"B.A!" yelled HR as he strode in anger at the thought that Tracy was dead, to the central console in the Cortex, "kill him!"

"H.R," Julien said holding the older man's shoulder, "I.. I'm sorry."

"Iris," Barry said as he took a step forward. "I…."

"Meet me at the place where you are fated to see your love fall, Barry," Savitar says, "and when she does. I will feel no pain… no loss. But you? You will crumble and lose. And then, as she bleeds out onto the ground? I will put you in the very same prison you put me. And I will live on."

"Why!?" demanded Barry, "Why do you hate me!"

"Beat me first," Savitar chuckled before he ran off with Iris.

Barry and Cisco watched him run off, and then Barry, after ordering Cisco to take Killer Frost back to STAR Labs, took off after Savitar. Barry followed Savitar through the city, slowly getting closer to the villain, until reaching the corner of Infantino Street. It was there that Savitar suddenly stopped as Barry was getting closer. He then turned and ran towards Barry who was coming at him. He held on to the screaming Iris with one hand while, with his other hand upon reaching Barry, pivoted and then grabbed the younger Speedster's arm. Savitar, with everything in slow motion, after grabbing Barry's arms, then flung him at super speed into a tree trunk.

"Barry!" yelled Iris as Savitar rushed up the stairs and took the very same place where he killed Iris once before. Savitar looked on in smug satisfaction as he lowered Iris to the ground while watching Barry groan as he slowly got up to his feet.

"Welcome to the end, Flash. My time of ascension? Oh, it's right here, and now."

Barry limped forward as he glared at Savitar, and then he looked at the terror on Iris' face. He had seen this very situation before. He saw Savitar pull back an arm as a spear extended from his wrist. Barry could hear Savitar say something, but it wasn't registering in his mind. All Barry could do was look on helplessly at Iris as tears streamed down her cheeks. Barry knew he would fail… everything he had done to change the future brought him to this point in time. In the future, he would fail, and now he knew he would fail as well. He could run as fast as he wanted, but Savitar was closer to Iris. He was right behind her, and Barry was seconds away in comparison.

'This is my fault,' Barry thought to himself as he stared at Iris. Everything was going in slow motion as his mind processed his thoughts at lightning speed while Savitar aimed the spear at Iris' back. 'He's here because of Flashpoint. He's here because of me. Everything that happened was because of me. Savitar, Alchemy, Killer frost and…. Oh God, Kara. Then Tracy, Wally, Joe, Cisco, Jay,,, Oh God Jay's stuck in that prison because of me. All because of me. Their lives changed because of what I did. Because of Flashpoint. Because of one stupid idea. I…'

"I have to sacrifice everything," Barry whispered as he stared at the grass, and then back up at Savitar. And finally, it hit him. Barry finally understood what the Speed Force told him, "that's what the Speed Force said. I have to sacrifice everything." Barry breathed hard as he slowly figured out what the Speed Force meant.  
He would have to be prepared to lose everything and everyone that he loved. Iris, Joe, Wally, Cisco, Caitlin… he would lose them all. Barry knew this was the very time the Speed Force was talking about. The time when he would know what needed to be done to save Iris.

A sacrifice.

Barry would have to sacrifice everything so that the love of his life would live. So that Savitar, his future self, would never be created. But the problem was that there would be no Flash since Savitar was responsible for creating the Philosopher's Stone that granted Wally his powers.

"Cisco and the others will find a way," Barry whispered after he shut off his suit's communication system. "And… and I can't think of any other way. We all lose… and it's my fault. To get rid of Savitar, the only other way is to… to make a sacrifice."

It was what he needed to do.

"Savitar!" yelled Barry as he started to vibrate his hand while Iris looked back at her love with eyes wide open in terror.

Savitar looked up as Barry's hand vibrated. Back in the Cortex, everyone stared at the camera feed that showed Barry standing tall while his left hand vibrated. "Why isn't he running?" Julien asked while everyone stared at the feed.

"He can't make it," Joe whispered as he watched Savitar, and then Barry, "he can't… NO! BARRY!"

Everyone in the Cortex looked on in horror as Barry plunged the vibrating hand into his own chest just as Savitar was about to plunge the spear through Iris' back.

"Barry!" yelled Cisco as he opened a portal and jumped through while Joe collapsed on his knees as Savitar simply vanished. Julien and HR had their hands covering their mouths in utter shock as Barry's body fell backwards into Cisco's arms just as he popped out of a breach.

"No," Wally sobbed as he covered his eyes with his hands while, back at Infantino Street, Iris screamed Barry's name as she ran down the stairs. She crumbled onto her knees when a tearful Cisco looked back at her and shook his head. Iris grabbed Barry's gloved hand and then leaned down and lay her head on the Flash emblem. She cried her heart out as tears streamed down Cisco's cheeks.

"Barry," she wept as tears fell on his uniform.

 **The Speed Force.**

For Barry, the moment he plunged his left hand into his chest, he heard Iris scream his name at the top of her lungs. And then everything went white.

"Barry."

Barry suddenly found himself standing in a swirling vortex of clouds and lightning jumping from one cloud to another. He looked around and then down at himself. He saw that he was still wearing the Flash uniform. He then looked up at the violent swirls around him and whispered, "so, this is hell."

"Not exactly," said a familiar female voice as Barry spun around to find his mother, Nora Allen, or at least the Seed Force manifestation of her, standing with her arms by her side. "Hello, Barry."

"Mom," he whispered, "I…"

"The Others wanted to allow you to change time," said Nora as she took a step forward and Barry looked away. "I could not allow that to happen."

Barry was surprised about hearing that revelation as he looked back at his mother with confusion on his face. Nora took another step forward and pursed her lips before speaking once again, "we saw your mother die. We saw your father die. We saw Eobard Thawne manipulate events so that you become the Flash much earlier. All of that affected you in ways you have yet to understand."

"No," Barry shook his head, "Eddie, or at least the Speed Force Eddie, said that I was allowed to change time, and…"

"You were supposed to have gotten over Nora's death," the Speed Force manifestation of Nora Allen said in a disappointing voice. "You should have learned about dealing with grief.. that is what our last meeting was about before we gave you back your powers. But you lost your father to Eobard Thawn, and then you decided to change time. We… I… couldn't allow that."

"You couldn't….?"

"We knew you would fracture time itself," Nora interupted looking at Barry, "so we placed you in a pocket dimension separated from the timeline. All so that you could witness first-hand what your actions would have wrought to the people you claim to love."

"I love them," Barry exclaimed as he pointed at the swirling clouds, "I love them all! I…."

"But yet, you alone decided to play God and change their futures," Nora said staring at Barry who looked away as if he was scolded by the real Nora Allen. "Your actions changed their lives without their permission. It affected all of their lives; from Cisco losing his brother, to the Dominator attack, to Caitlin being Killer Frost, to… to Iris dying. That pocket dimension had its own multiverse, own future, and the past. And in that Earth One's original future before Thawne changed the timeline, you lost Iris in a war."

Barry listened in stunned silence as Nora explained Savitar's origins, and what he did to take away his own pain, by killing Iris' throughout the Multiverse in the pocket dimension.

"My God," Barry whispered after he heard everything he needed to hear from Nora. Barry felt sick as he imagined doing what Savitar had done. He looked away from Nora and turned around so that she wouldn't see him cover his eyes with his hands.

'I killed Iris. So many Iris', so many of my friends and.. and even people I've never met. Oh God... what… what have I done.'

"Savitar was grief and anger made flesh, Barry," Nora said as she lay a hand on his shoulder, "he is what you could have become. And it could still happen." Barry then turned to face Nora, and asked her what he needed to do to stop Savitar from ever coming back. Nora simply smiled at Barry and placed her hand on his cheek, "you can't". Nora then brought her hand down to Barry's chest and then looked up again, "Savitar is what's in your heart, Barry. Anger, rage, resentment… all uncontrolled, desiring to lash out. You've seen what could happen, Barry. You have to understand that those you love will die. It could be in a car crash, or it could be in battle… but they will die. What matters is what you do to handle that anger and grief."

"I don't know how." Barry said as he looked into Nora's eyes.

"You have friends and family who love you, Barry," Nora said gently, "they will help you get through the loss you've experienced, and the losses still to come. You have already made one sacrifice to save your friends, Barry. If you didn't? Then Savitar would have trapped you for all time after killing Jay. He would then have devastated that Earth One. It was a no-win scenario, one which you didn't hesitate to make a decision between yourself and others. And that's what a hero needs to do, to make the sacrifice so that innocents are kept safe."

"So my world? My Earth One?"

"Is waiting for you," said Nora as a breach opened up. "the pocket universe has served its usefulness. Now, we place our trust in you, Barry. And soon, in Wally West and Jessie Quick. The breach will take you back home. To everyone else, just a second would have passed by after you entered the breach into the pocket dimension."

Barry then made sure his cowl was still on and nodded his head.

"Barry," Nora said gently, "be careful. The next time you travel back in time to make a change like saving me? Then… then we cannot interfere. The changes will be real."

 **Central City, Earth One, now.**

Barry nodded his head before he then sped through the breach, and found himself running through the streets of Central City. He still had all of his memories of the pocket dimension, he still had all his feelings, and he still had the same old fear of losing Iris. And he knew he needed to do something about that.

Barry also knew he had to learn to slowly come to terms with his parent's deaths and to deal with the memories of the Iris, Cisco, and the others he lost in the pocket dimension.

To Barry, they were real people. His relationships with them were real. And now they were gone. But his memories of them remained as he ran through the streets of Central City. He remembered running alongside Jessie and Wally, singing and dancing with Kara, proposing to Iris... all those happened. And BArry released a smile as a

But before he could go home, Barry had to make a few stops before heading home. He had to make certain that everything was okay. He ran fast and opened a breach to Earth Two where he met Harry once again and hugged the surprised man. He then raced to Central City University and hugged a stunned Jessie while she was taking her class. HE chuckled as Jessie's classmates whispered that there was a new Flash in town. Barry whispered in Jessie's ear to visit him in Earth One when she and Harry were free.

And then Barry took off to Earth Three. There, he met with Jay for Coffee. Barry told the surprised Jay everything that happened before asking him if they could sit down later on to talk about their powers. "I want to learn more, and… and I want to know how to use these powers so that…."

"I'll help," Jay said as he looked at the younger man. After shaking hands, Barry left and then opened a breach all the way to Earth Thirty Eight. There, Barry opened an exit breach into the DEO hub where Supergirl had just finished introducing Superman to the DEO agents. Barry and Kara hugged before the excited woman introduced Barry to Superman.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kara after making introductions while Superman looked at Barry and then at Kara who were both leaning against a table. He then looked at Jon who shrugged his shoulders before walking off, but not before telling Barry that they needed to talk about unauthorized breaches opening in the DEO. Barry nodded his head before turning to Kara and just staring at her before he hugged the surprised woman once again. "Barry?"

"I just wanted to see if you're alright," Barry whispered into her ear.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Kara asked whispering into Barry's ear before they parted. Barry simply smiled at Kara while holding onto her shoulders, and she held onto his arms, as Alex and Superman could only look on. It was then that Superman coughed, and Barry and Kara let go of each other and turned to Superman. However, Kara occasionally glanced at Barry wondering what he meant that he wanted to make sure that she was doing alright.

"So, Kara," Superman said with his arms crossed over his chest, "you have a boyfriend from another dimension? Don;t you think that's something you should have told me when…"

"We're just friends," both Barry and Kara said. The both of them were pointing at each other while staring at Superman.

"Really," Barry said before he looked at Kara who was grinning while telling Superman how Barry helped the DEO take down Livewire and Silver Banshee. Kara then turned to look at Barry, and their eyes met. Barry then turned to Superman and told him, while he remembered his own, and Kara's, time in the alternate reality, "she's my super-friend." And Kara blushed while Alex grinned as she locked eyes with Kara.

It would be several minutes later that Barry returned to Earth One, but not before telling Kara that he would be back soon, and then they could talk. He then, upon reaching Earth One, headed home. It was only ten minutes since Barry left the West house and they were wondering where he had gone. So when Barry ran into the house with his uniform, everyone got up from their seats and asked if there was a metahuman attack. Barry listened to their questions while staring at Iris, and then at Joe, Caitlin, Cisco, and then Wally.

Barry then turned his head towards Caitlin who asked once again if there was a metahuman attack since he was in his Flash uniform, "and we need to know where the attack happened so tha..."

"I…" Barry said before he rushed around the couch, past Iris and Joe, and Cisco, so that he could hug Caitlin. The surprised Caitlin looked at the others with her eyes wide open as if to ask 'what was going on'.

"I'm glad to see you, Cait."

"You were only gone maybe ten, fifteen minutes, Dude," Cisco said as he handed Caitlin an eggnog. Barry parted from Caitlin and looked into her eyes. He remembered her lying on her back, unconscious, as Killer Frost. Barry then took in a deep breath and kissed Caitlin on her forehead before stepping back, turning around, and hugging Cisco tight.

"Okay, but there is no way you're kissing my forehead," Cisco quipped.

"Bar?" asked Joe.

"Are you drunk, Barry?" Wally joked.

"Running while drunk?" asked Caitlin as Barry parted from Cisco and asked him if his brother was doing alright.

"Yea," Cisco said, "why?"

"Listen," Barry said as he stood next to Cisco and looked around at everyone, and then stopped at Iris. "Everyone close your eyes." Barry zoomed to Iris, and then grabbed the back of her, and kissed her full on the lips while Caitlin stared with her mouth hanging open. Cisco chuckled while Wally was cheering. Joe, on the other hand, was petrified as he stared at the both of them kiss before he looked away nervously while stepping back.

"It's about time," Caitlin said as she rushed to the table and poured two cups and eggnog as Barry and Iris separated, the two of them looking at each other.

"I love you, Iris," Barry whispered. It was then that Caitlin had Barry a cup, and then the other one to Iris before pulling the still petrified Joe away as he tried to mumble incoherently. Barry then turned and simply said four words as he looked at Caitlin, Joe, Cisco, Wally, and then back to Iris.

"We need to talk."

THE END.


End file.
